Greece urges end to 'absurdity' of Turkey non-recognition

Greece yesterday said Turkey's refusal to recognise the Republic of Cyprus is an "absurdity" that must end as soon as possible, given Turkey's aspirations to begin European Union accession talks.

Turkey signed a protocol on Friday extending its customs union to new EU members, including Cyprus, but at the same time issued a statement refusing to change its stance on the issue of officially recognising the Republic of Cyprus.

Turkey issued a declaration making clear the signing of the protocol did not mean a change on its stance on Cyprus, whose Greek Cypriot government is viewed in Brussels as the sole legitimate authority on the Mediterranean island.

"With the signature of the Ankara Agreement Protocol, Turkey has taken the step to formally fulfil the obligation it undertook last December to the EU as a whole, as well as to each of the individual member states, and thus to the Republic of Cyprus, with all that that entails," Greek foreign ministry spokesman George Koumoutsakos said in a statement yesterday.

"At the same time, in a unilateral declaration - which it unfortunately deemed necessary to make - Turkey appears to insist on the sustaining of a political and legal absurdity," he said.

"It (Turkey) persists, that is, in refusing to recognise a member state of the European Union, and this at a time when Turkey's accession negotiations with the EU are set to begin."

"This absurdity must be resolved at the soonest possible time. The signing of the protocol must constitute a real and meaningful step towards the normalisation of Turkey's relations with the Republic of Cyprus," said Koumoutsakos, adding that all aspects of the Turkish statement are being carefully examined.

Cyprus said yesterday that it "deeply regretted" Turkey's declaration refusing to recognise the government of the EU member, adding it would examine if the content of the Turkish statement called into question the validity of the customs union text Ankara signed.

The EU must still unanimously approve a negotiating mandate for the talks before October 3, giving Nicosia a potential veto. Cyprus, which has been an EU member since 2004 and lies just south of Turkey, was partitioned after a Turkish invasion in 1974 in response to a Greek Cypriot coup. Ankara keeps some 30,000 troops stationed in northern Cyprus.